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How much do pop up campers weigh? Right before you make a purchase of a favorite pop up camper, you want to be sure of certain key aspects. And of these aspects, weight is extremely paramount. This leads us to the question, how much do pop up campers weigh? Well, A pop up camper weighs from anywhere as low as 250 lbs. up to 3,700 lbs. However, put in mind this range of weight is dependent on the type of tower you are using here. For example, a small motorcycle pop up camper would generally weigh less than full-sized, tent-style pop up campers that are pulled by cars, trucks, and trailers. So two super-important things are clearly obvious. The first, you need to know which motor vehicle you will be using and secondly its towing capability or power. With that being said, let’s dive into the mix of this all and see what you need to know. What are Pop Up Campers? Pop up campers are special types of recreational vehicles with lightweight, collapsible footprints. They are usually towed by cars, trucks, SUVs, and even motorcycles for the small-sized types. Pop up campers are very common in today’s camping world. This is due to their unique advantages demonstrated across their functionality, design, price, and ease of use. These ‘RVs’ fold into tiny, compact boxes. But still when required to provide comfort and luxury, you get the treat from a myriad of amenities as much as you may want. In summary, the following are general pieces of information that define what pop up campers are. They range between 8-16 feet when packed and 16-32 feet when opened. The weight is about 600 lbs. – 3700 lbs. for high end models They offer a sleeping space of about 2-8 adults They come with a variety of features – but not in all of them. You could get air conditioners, kitchenettes, dinettes, countertops, generators, and more. Check this out: Best Portable Air Conditioner For Pop Up Camper. Here are a Few Weight Measurements to Know. As you head to the store to buy a new camper, the least you can do is to understand some commonly used weight measurements. Here are some of them; 1. Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW) This refers to the starting weight of the pop up camper as delivered from the manufacturer. This weight encompasses that of the hitch/tongue, axles, and a full LP propane tank. Knowing your unloaded vehicle weight affects how you navigate the road, your safety and comfort. This is because it determines how much you will include in the camper. 2. Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) Refers to the available weight needed to contain cargo, fresh water, accessories, among other important equipment and features in the camper. 3. Gross Axel Weight Capacity (GAWR) This is the highest amount of weight that can be supported safely by a pop up camper’s axle. 4. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) This weight is inclusive of the hitch weight added to the total overall weight of a vehicle’s carrying capacity – that’s to mean all passengers, extra cargo, pets, and anything carried in the vehicle. Different Types of Pop Up Campers and Their Weights. Pop Up Camper Category Weight Number of People Motorcycle 250 lbs. – 600 lbs. 1-2 adults Mini-sized Over 600 lbs. 2 adults Medium-sized Over 1000 lbs. 4 adults Large-sized 2500 lbs. – 3700 lbs. Up to 8 adults There are several types of pop up campers that a recreationist on the go can select from. It all depends on what your preference is. Let’s check some of the most common right next. I’ll also be looking into their weight categories. 1. Motorcycle Pop Up Campers A motorcycle pop up camper is a lightweight camper and is only towed by motorcycles. The smallest motorcycle pop up campers weigh about 250 lbs. Even with this little weight, you still get space for a bed and a few gears. The larger versions of this camper weigh in the region of 400 lbs. to 600 lbs. This space is enough to provide a sleeping area, storage and a basic kitchen. The motorcycle pop up is perfect for a couple. 2. Mini-Sized Pop Up Campers Mini-sized campers are roomier than motorcycles’. They also feature additional amenities in them and generally weigh in at 600 lbs. Mini-sized pop ups offer two sleeping rooms and a kitchen. You may also get some of them coming possibly with TVs, or a bathroom. These types of campers are perfect for a small family. 3. Medium-sized Pop Up Campers Medium-sized pop ups generally weigh over 1000 lbs. This is a lot of weight for a lot more extra features on what you get from the mini-sized types. You get a huge sleeping area that could take in four people at once. You also get a well-equipped kitchen, a dinette, bathroom. Usually, the sleeping area is turned into a screened rest place in the day. These pop up campers also offer lots of storage space. Medium-sized pop ups are the most popular type of campers. And they are usually towed along by cars and compact SUVs. 4. Large-Sized Pop Up Campers Large-sized pop up campers are conveniently towed by heavy-duty trucks or trailers. Although it is still possible to pull them on with your SUV or minivan. Pop up trailer weight is around 2500 lbs. – 3700 lbs. depending on which style you are willing to take. With these campers, you have anything and everything you can wish for absolute comfort and relaxation. This is because they are big enough for a huge range of amenities. That’s why some people would refer them to as home away from home. The adequate space offers two permanent sleeping areas, two temporary foldable beds, some tables etc. Kitchen set ups in these campers are more advanced. You can get running water, cooktops, countertops, and more storage space for other stuff. With that said, the downside to these campers is their cost. But that aside, you never get it wrong with the coolest RVs for camping. What are the Factors that Determine Weight of a Pop Up Camper? This is a crucial question for recreational enthusiasts. And to that effect, there are a lot of things that go into the design of a camper which directly influences its weight. Here are some key aspects that you’ll be probably looking into: 1. Material Construction The materials used for the construction of a given camper add to its weight. If the materials are lighter, you definitely have a lightweight camper. An all-aluminum pop-up camper weight for a trailer or truck could be far less than the weight of the same size but built from heavier metals. One thing though, many companies in this industry are trying their best to come up with the most lightweight campers for easy transportation. 2. Amenities in the Camper The most basic campers come with only a bunch of facilities in them. They offer only the basic features – a sleeping area, a dining area, some space for cooking etc. and that’s it. If you are seeking for luxury, then properly-equipped campers are no doubt a consideration. However, this literally paves way for lots of weight on your camper. What it means in the long run is that you are going to have to deal with a heavier equipment. So things like a well-equipped kitchen, cupboard, TV zone, refrigerator, bathroom, and more mean a lot of weight. A bathroom for example, requires plumbing in order to keep their tanks in place with water. All electrical connections and framing will lift the weight of your camper pretty quickly. Solar systems could add a further 200 lbs. on what you have already, if you decided on installing them. But if you can still enjoy the outdoors without one or a couple of them, you better keep off some of these systems. 3. Safety Safety, just like other factors will affect the weight of your camper. You should keep in mind that your camper should have proper traction, good speed, and maneuver the roads and tracks with ease. If your camper weighs over 3000 lbs., you will probably be thinking about having a braking system for the unit. This amount of weight may not be safe to depend on your vehicle’s brakes alone. Why Do You Need to Use Pop Up Campers? First, the weight of a pop pup camper is relatively lower compared to the actual RVs for camping. Which means hauling them behind your light vehicle is never going to be a hard task at all. In similar circumstances, the camper still offers recreational buffs the same comfort as they’d extract from using sophisticated RVs. The pop up campers come with plenty of space for sleeping, cooking, and keeping your gear. Some have bathrooms, TV places, rest areas, etc. – all which are geared towards maximum provision of comfort. Another thing is the cost aspect of these units. It is not a doubt that buying a pop up camper is going to cost you less by far as compared to other types of RVs. Better still, the level of satisfaction you get is as close to the expected luxury of the bigger RV models as possible. Since the campers are smaller in build, you also don’t expect them to occupy a lot of space for storage. Actually, you can effortlessly store them in your garage, possibly. On the contrary, the RV or travel trailer may require you to have a special storage facility build for its safe storage. Using a camper offers the convenience of loading and unloading. It is pretty quick and easy and even after you come back home, you may not need to bring your gear from the camper. Just leave it for the next use. Moreover, you will use less fuel to tow a camper than a full-sized RV unit. The outcome is a reduction in total fuel costs. And you can navigate even tougher, rugged terrain with much more assurance of making it safely compared to other types of vehicles. When Do You Need Trailer Brakes? The other nice question to interrogate after how much do pop up campers weigh is: at what point (weight) should you have trailer brakes installed on your camper? I mentioned – though in a quick glance – about the tent style pop up campers. They can weigh as much as 2800 – 3700 lbs. This is not a joke of weight. And therefore require trailer brakes just for the safety and well-being of the people on board. Normally brakes are not essential on lightweight campers with compact sizes. They can just make use of the tow vehicle system without a fuss. But with increased size and weight of the camper, having brakes installed is extremely important. If the trailer comes without some on it, simply engage an RV dealer or a mechanic to assist with this. In Conclusion: The question of how much do pop up campers weigh is a good place to start when purchasing one for your next short vacation. So you will need to know the exact weight of your camper in order to guarantee your safety, comfort and efficient navigation through the trip. Liked this Post? Share it on Pinterest!

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