Average Teardrop Camper Weight (12 Best Examples)

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The average teardrop camper weight is about 1,700 pounds, ranging from as little as 250 lbs, up to 3,200 lbs. A lot depends on building material used and what features are included. Some teardrop trailers include integrated kitchens and awnings. Some are more basic, which will weight less. 

When comparing teardrop trailer specs, you will find the weight listed as dry or wet. The dry weight of a trailer is the weight of the frame alone without any cargo. Wet weight refers to what you will actually tow when on a fully packed trip, complete with full fresh water tanks, propane fuel tank and all your camping gear. 

12 Example Teardrop Camper Weights

teardrop camper weight
Teardrop Camper ModelDry Weight
Earth Traveller T250 LX250 lbs
Helio HE3S456 lbs
Little Guy MyPod630 lbs
Hiker Trailer Deluxe 5×8800 lbs
Polydrop P17820 lbs
TC Teardrops Original 5×101,150 lbs
nuCamp Tag1,269 lbs
Vistabule1,330 lbs
Timberleaf Classic1,500 lbs
Classic Bean Trailer1,650 lbs
nuCamp Tab 4002,864 lbs
Little Guy Max3,140 lbs

Most teardrop campers are not designed to tow heavy loads, and the average cargo capacity is only around 700 lbs, and that will include the weight of solar panels or roof rack or anything else you’re carrying. 

So if you need to carry more than this, you might be better off with a larger travel trailer.

Weight Terms You Might Need to Know

GVWR is an acronym for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This rating is the maximum amount of weight allowable for the tow vehicle and RV. This rating would include liquids, passengers, cargo, and tongue weight, as well as the weight of the vehicle being towed.

Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) is the most distributed weight the axle of a vehicle can support. Typically, the GAWR will include FR to indicate front axles or RR to indicate rear axles. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the most weight allowed of both your trailer and cargo.

GCWR is another way to express the Gross Combination Weight Rating. This rating is based on the combined weight of the tow vehicle and the attached vehicle being towed. It represents the maximum allowable weight of the two vehicles combined.

Net Carrying Capacity (NCC) is the first weight category in this section. This weight class was used from 1996 until 2000. The NCC represents the maximum weight of a variety of items inside the unit. These items include personal belongings, dealer-installed accessories, tools, LP-gas, fresh water, and other items you will carry in the unit. 

CCC stands for Cargo Carrying Capacity, which was used in place of NCC after September 2000. It denotes the formula of the GVWR minus the unloaded vehicle weight, water weight, LP gas weight, and the sleeping capacity weight rating.

When you drive a vehicle onto a scale, you get the Gross Vehicle Weight or GVW. This weight should never exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating issued by the manufacturer. If the weight does exceed the GVWR, the vehicle’s warranty may be voided. This information can be found in your vehicle’s owner’s guide.

The Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is used in most towable RV applications. It is similar to the Gross Vehicle Weight and is measured by putting the trailer on a scale.

The Gross Axle Weight (GAW) is the amount of weight a fully-loaded vehicle is holding on one axle. This weight is also gained by placing the car on a scale.

Gross Combination Weight (GCW) is the combined weight of a fully equipped vehicle and is measured by placing the vehicle on a scale also.

Dry Weight is a little different from the above terms. It refers to the weight of a vehicle or trailer that is completely empty.

Wet Weight is defined as the weight of the vehicle, including oil, lubricants, gasoline, and other standard equipment. When you add additional content or optional equipment, it adds to this weight. Passengers, driver, and cargo also increase this weight. When deciding on an RV, dry and curb/wet weight must be a consideration.

Why Knowing Your Teardrop Trailer Weight is Important

Tow Vehicle Selection

To calculate your vehicle’s towing capacity, you’ll need to know the full GCWR — Gross Combined Weight Rating — of the towing vehicle and the teardrop travel trailer you plan to tow, together with all the cargo each will carry, including people and wiper fluid. 

The Gross Combination Weight Rating is determined by several factors: vehicle, engine, transmission, axle ratio, optional equipment, and trailer hitch type used (weight distributing, non-weight distributing, gooseneck).

Towing capacity formula

  1. Find out curb weight (on VIN sticker).
  2. Add the weight of passengers, fuel, and cargo to the curb weight.
  3. Subtract this number from your vehicle’s GCWR (you may have to look this up using your VIN if it’s not on the door sticker).
  4. This is your max towing capacity.
  5. Check to make sure the hitch can also handle this weight.

Hitch Selection

When towing a teardrop trailer with your family car, you can choose from three basic types of trailer hitches. Hitch types include weight distribution hitches, bumper hitches, and Class I hitches.

A weight distribution hitch is usually only used for lowing larger capacities, but may be a good choice if your teardrop model weighs over 2,000 lbs. 

Bumper hitches attach under the rear bumper of your car. They are generally suitable for towing lightweight trailers and come with a standard two-inch ball mount receiver as well as attachment points for backup safety chains.

Class I tow hitches are rated for towing trailers that weigh no more than 2,000 pounds.

Tongue Weight

Tongue weight is the amount of your trailer’s weight that transfers to your tow vehicle through the trailer’s tongue or gooseneck.

Typically, the tongue weight of your trailer will be anywhere between 9-15 percent of your gross trailer weight.

Tongue weight will increase if you load too much gear into the front of your teardrop. Your tongue weight should never exceed 15 percent of the total weight of your trailer. If it does,  It can cause too much downward pressure on your trailer hitch and can be dangerous to tow.

Weight Distribution

This ties into tongue weight above, but you also don’t want to overload your trailer on one side. Since teardrops are among the most lightweight trailers around, it becomes important to distribute the weight inside evenly.

If you overload the cargo on one side, it can cause it to drag to one side and cause dangerous towing situations.

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Gary Michaels
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