Caravan packing checklist
Weigh what you pack and check it against your van's payload.
Type a weight beside anything you have weighed. We check the total against your van's payload, and gear that rides in the car is added up on its own.
Published . 4 min read • Lifestyle
Weigh what you pack and keep the total within the van's payload: the ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) minus the tare.
Both figures are on the van's plate, and water in the tanks counts at one kilogram a litre. A weighbridge gives the real loaded weight.
- Payload - ATM minus tare, both on the van's plate
- Water - 1 litre weighs 1kg
- Car gear - counts against the car's GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) and GCM (Gross Combination Mass)
The checklist
Tap In van or In car to say where each item travels.
Water in the van's tanks
One litre of water weighs one kilogram.
Kitchen
- kg
- kg
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Food and drink
- kg
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Bedding and bathroom
- kg
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Clothes and personal
- kg
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Water and toilet
- kg
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Gas and power
- kg
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Outdoor and camp
- kg
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Tools and recovery
- kg
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Safety and first aid
- kg
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Kids and pets
- kg
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Cleaning and laundry
- kg
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Your own items
How to weigh your gear
Stand on bathroom scales holding the item, then take away your own weight.
Pack each area into one tub or bag and weigh it once. Put the tub's weight against one item and leave the others blank.
Food and drink change through a trip, so weigh them the way you leave home.
What counts against the van's payload
Payload is ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) minus tare. ATM is the most the van may weigh, fully loaded. Tare is what the maker says the van weighs empty, with factory options and no water or gear.
Water, gas, food, gear and anything fitted after the van was weighed all come out of the payload. A rear-heavy load can push the axles past the GTM (Gross Trailer Mass) while the whole van is under its ATM. Both figures are on the van's plate, and the plate on your own van is the one that counts.
Gear in the car counts against the car's GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass). It also counts against the GCM (Gross Combination Mass), the most the car and van may weigh together. The payload calculator checks those, and the list above can send its totals there.
More on the weights: caravan payload explained, caravan weights explained and public weighbridges. For the day you leave, the pre-departure checklist covers hitching up and the brake test.
Common questions
Does the water in the tanks count towards a caravan's payload?
Yes. Payload is ATM minus tare, and everything loaded into the van comes out of it. Water weighs one kilogram a litre, so two full 95-litre tanks add 190kg.
Does gear in the car count towards the caravan's weight?
No. Gear in the car counts against the car's GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass). It also counts against the GCM (Gross Combination Mass), the most the car and van may weigh together. The payload calculator checks both once you add your car.
How do I weigh camping gear at home?
Stand on bathroom scales holding the item, then take away your own weight. Packing each area into one tub and weighing the tub is quicker.