How Much Does an RV Camper Weigh? (With Examples)

RV campers can vary in style and in size - with some being relatively small and others being huge, but how much does one actually weigh?

If you are looking to hit the road in your RV, then one thing that you will want to keep in mind is the weight of your vehicle. Whether it is to know how much weight your vehicle can support or how much you need to tow if you have a trailer-style camper - the weight of your RV is important.

How much an RV camper weighs is dependent on its style: Fifth Wheel at 9,000 lbs, Winnebago at 8,000 lbs, Travel Trailer at 5,000 lbs, Pop-Up Camper at 2,500 lbs, and a Small Camper at 1,500 lbs. However, these figures can fluctuate based on the design of the RV camper.

If you are looking to travel on your own terms, then there is really no better way to do it than in an RV camper. For those of you that reside in the United States, owning an RV only comes naturally, as these vehicles enable you to take your home with you where ever you go while you explore the nation’s stunning landscapes. With that being said, there are a lot of different types of RVs out there for you to consider. RV manufacturers have created a dynamic range of different designs and styles to cater to the needs of so many people, which is why these vehicles can often vary in their weight. To help you understand this further, we are going to take a closer look at how much an RV camper weighs in more detail - with examples.

After thoroughly researching RV campers, I have gathered enough information to find examples for these vehicles based on their weight. My research has taught me that how much an RV weighs is dependent entirely on the type of RV that it is.

‍RV Camper Weight (With Examples)

Over the years we have seen RV campers change quite a bit - with new innovations in design and technology, these vehicles are as popular now as they ever have been. However, although change has certainly been apparent with RV campers, they still serve the same purpose that they always have - a home on wheels to travel as you please. This sort of comfort and freedom is why so many Americans choose to travel via RV for their vacations over any other mode of transport, as RV campers enable you to really experience the country in a very intimate way.

If you are considering buying an RV, then naturally you must have wondered how much one actually weighs. The truth is that you cannot define how much an RV weighs without first looking at each type of RV style that is commonly found on the road, as these vehicles are not all made the same. You will find some very small RV styles that are considerably light in weight. While at the same time, you will see massive RV campers that weigh a whole lot.

What you will want to keep in mind is that the weight of an RV can also vary depending on what is inside of it. This is based on what items each individual chooses to store in their RV camper. With that being said, we are going to assess how much an RV weighs based on its dry weight, which is the weight of the vehicle when it is first purchased - with no installments, modifications, or gear inside.

It can sometimes be challenging to put into perspective just how much an RV weighs without first comparing it to another object. To make this visualization easier for you, we have found some examples for each RV category. Keep reading to learn more about how much an RV camper weighs.

Fifth Wheel

One of the largest RV campers that you will find on the market is a Fifth Wheel. This style of RV camper has become exceptionally popular as it is incredibly dynamic and comfortable.

The Fifth Wheel RV camper is one of the largest that you will see on the road, as they were designed to be spacious and homey. Much like with a Travel Trailer, the Fifth Wheel is designed to be towed via a hitch, but given the large size of this RV camper, you are going to need a reasonably large-sized vehicle in order to get the job done.

In order to tow a Fifth Wheel, you need to have a truck with a considerable amount of power, as these RV campers weigh a lot! With that being said, most of the Fifth Wheel RV campers that you see will weigh between 6,000 lbs and 12,000 lbs.

This is the range for the dry weight of a Fifth Wheel RV camper. Much like with many RV campers, a Fifth Wheel can vary in its size. A smaller Fifth Wheel RV camper will typically weigh anywhere from 6,000 lbs to 8,000 lbs. Whereas a large Fifth Wheel will likely be 10,000 lbs to 12,000 lbs. The most common Fifth Wheels made are normally in the 9,000 lbs range and are considered to be medium-sized.

To make this 9,000 lbs figure more clear, you can compare this weight to that of a Hippopotamus.

Winnebago

One of the most common types of RV campers that you will see is the classic Winnebago. This type of RV camper is considered to be iconic, as they are somewhat of a standard for what a top-of-the-line RV should be.

You can easily spot a Winnebago as it has a bus-style design that sticks out like a sore thumb. Over the years, we have seen Winnebagos evolve greatly - with improvements in style, design, and size.

Traditionally, most Winnebagos would have fallen into the mid-sized category, but now, we can find these RV campers weighing considerably more than they had in the past - with models that have more space than some people’s homes.

Most Winnabegos that you see will weigh anywhere from 3,000 lbs to 11,000 lbs. Smaller-sized Winnabegos will appear to be more like large minivans - with all of the essentials to make you feel at home. These would normally weigh anywhere from 3,000 lbs to 6,000 lbs. However, larger Winnabegos will look more like buses and can weigh anywhere from 9,000 to 11,000 lbs.

With that being said, most Winnebagos that are medium-sized would be in the 8,000 lbs range. This is about as much as a fully grown Elephant Seal.

Travel Trailer

A Travel Trailer is one of the most common types of RV campers that you will see on the road.

These are mid-sized RV campers that are attached to common vehicles to be towed. You will normally see larger-sized vehicles such as SUVs and trucks pulling Travel Trailers, as they need a reasonable amount of power to be towed in a practical way.

The weight of a Travel Trailer can fluctuate, as some of these RV campers can be quite larger or smaller based on the manufacturer’s design. You will find that most Travel Trailers on the market weigh between 3,000 lbs and 9,000 lbs, which is a pretty big spread.

RV campers made in this style were designed to be dynamic so that owners can use them for a wide variety of different types of trips. For people who like to go on casual trips with their RV camper, small Travel Trailers in the range of 3,000 lbs to 5,000 lbs are going to be more ideal.

Whereas Travel Trailers in the 5,000 lbs to 9,000 lbs range are going to be better for people that like to go on longer trips - or just like to have added comfort when on vacation. With that being said, you will mostly find Travel Trailers in the 5,000 lbs range, as they are the most versatile.

To put into perspective exactly how much a 5,000 lbs Travel Trailer weighs, you can compare this RV camper to the average weight of a rhinoceros.

Pop-Up Camper

One of the most practical and user-friendly RV campers out there is a Pop-Up camper. These are also RV campers that you attach to your vehicle to tow to your destination.

These are great because they are very dynamic and are much easier to deal with compared to large RV campers. The reason for this is that Pop-Up campers can be attached to a wide variety of different vehicles for towing.

You can tow a Pop-Up camper with a truck, SUV, minivan, and (in some cases) even a sedan! This is due to how lightweight Pop-Up Campers are. You will find that most Pop-Up campers generally weigh anywhere between 1,500 lbs and 3,000 lbs - give or take.

The smallest Pop-Up campers will be around 1,500 lbs to 2,000 lbs. Whereas large Pop-Up campers will be in the 2,500 to 3,000 lbs range. Now, the most common weight for a Pop-Up camper is right around 2,500 lbs.

The reason that this style of RV camper can be towed by so many vehicles is that it only weighs as much as one! Most Pop-Up campers (in dry weight) only weigh as much as your average sedan. That makes this a great RV camper for people out there that do not have a large car to utilize for towing.

Small Camper

The tiniest RV that you will ever see on the road is a Small Camper. Just as the name implies, these are not large by any means, so you should not expect them to weigh a whole lot.

These are a crowd favorite among people that want to have an RV camper that is compact, is easy to tow, and practical for easy camping. With that being said, you can expect everything from a truck to a small/midsized sedan to be able to handle a Small Camper.

The weight of a Small Camper can be anywhere from 750 lbs to 3,000 lbs - with most options weighing about 1,500 lbs. To put this weight into perspective for you, an average-sized Small Camper weighs about as much as a cow.